


Ready, set

by BytheSea (ye_old_cactus)



Category: Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Childhood Friends, M/M, Mutual Pining, Spacer (Mass Effect), Texting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-09
Updated: 2018-04-09
Packaged: 2019-04-20 21:17:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,455
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14269722
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ye_old_cactus/pseuds/BytheSea
Summary: Kaidan Alenko is your average guy, in your average space school... the problem with him just happens to be that he is stupidly in love with John Shepard, who he is pretty sure doesn't know he exists...Well they're technically friends, he's his friend's friend? Maybe?The things is... his friends are annoying.





	Ready, set

**Author's Note:**

> this is super self-indulgent and got out of hand halfway sorry hjueheueh

It started with an Asari, or maybe with a Turian... It could've been the massive Krogans or the quirky Quarian, but no matter the beginning, the ending was always the same; for this reason and the other, Kaidan Alenko was crazily, inexplicably, madly in love with John Shepard.

"Why don't you just tell him?" Liara asked him for the third time in the last ten minutes.

"He doesn't know I exist."

* * *

They were in Biotics class and so was Shepard... The only difference being that he sat at the other side of the classroom with his friends Jack, Miranda and Jacob. They were an interesting bunch. A tattooed orphan, a rich prodigy, a jock-like nerd and Shepard whose mother was known throughout the Alliance because of her heroics deeds and kind nature, Shepard had taken that from her, actually he took both things.

Despite being younger than Kaidan, he was already in the advanced classes with them. But that wasn't where Kaidan had met him for the first time. He'd been in love with him since they were kids. Like Shepard's mother, both Kaidan's parents were Alliance, the first 12 years of his life were spent travelling the galaxy with his parents until his 13th birthday when it was required for him to join what in Earth terms would be high school, a school called Galaxy Beyond.

It was more than that, though. It wasn't really mandatory but people saw it like that. While it taught teenagers how to control their biotics and about basic education, too, it was more to gain experience and to teach them how to coexist with other species.

The last part came as easy to Kaidan as breathing, that's why his friends were the smartest Asari he'd ever met, a Krogan who loved to destroy and break things but also had a knack for leadership and a brother complex, his equally cute and violent little brother, and a tech Quarian obviously in love with their oblivious Turian friend who was also in love with her.

He'd met them on his first day four years ago - minus Grunt, and they all knew about Kaidan's crush, even Garrus who was also Shepard's best friend but hadn't told him anything about Kaidan because that's just how good he was and because Kaidan was sure he had a bet going with Ashley and Kasumi, but every time he tried to find out more, they always ignored him.

Kaidan met Shepard when he was barely 5-years-old but it wasn't until Shepard got in GB and he'd already been there for a year that Kaidan realized his true feelings. He'd always felt this... pull towards Shepard and he always thought it was like admiration but when be grew he learned to recognize the feeling.

For the first full year Shepard was in GB Kaidan ignored everything related to him, putting up with making out and going on dates with girls and boys equally, not caring what happened around him. It might sound stupid, drowning himself in people because he liked some random guy... But it was more than that -Shepard was more than just a random guy he liked. To him, Shepard felt like home, because before coming there, Kaidan's home was a spaceship with other twenty something kids, all around the same kid, trying to be their friend and only Kaidan had managed that. He'd been friends with Shepard for the briefest of times, just before Shepard's father died and his mother had to transfer to a different ship... He came back but he wasn't the same. He acted the same, yes, but something had changed.

After that, he didn't dare to talk to Shepard anymore and few years later, he had to move his stuff to GB and learn to live without that -longing.

It was a hard thing to explain for someone who had never felt something similar or for someone who knew nothing about living in space.

So back to his second year, when Shepard arrived and he tried to forget about his existence completely, Liara who by that time was already his best friend, had fallen in love with Shepard. Kaidan didn't blame her but it was a little exasperating to hear her talk about him when, well...

The revelation about his feelings came in the worst place possible, third year, they were all together... Wrex, Garrus, Tali, Kasumi, Ashley and Grunt. They'd been drinking in Wrex and Grunt's house. Liara was talking nonstop about Shepard and what he did in the Prothean History class they shared.

Kaidan had already drank enough to feel his mind foggy and his limbs a little numb so when Liara was going about Shepard knowing about the Cipher and how much she liked him, he rather nonchalantly said something like ' _welcome to the club_ '. That earned him a few stares and no choice but to talk. He guessed it was a little after that that Garrus and his friends started the bet about him and Shepard, but he was tired of trying to get something out of them so he gave up a long time ago.

Cut to a year later and Shepard was none the wiser about his feelings and apparently he was the only one of their friends. But at least Kaidan only had one year left there and then he'd go as far away as possible to live a normal Shepard-free life.

"We have lunch together everyday, Kaidan. I'm sure he knows you exist," Liara went on, "I think I've heard him say your name at least twice-"

"I know he knows who I am," Kaidan interrupted her, "but like, because he hangs with Garrus who hangs with Tali who hangs with us... He's my friend's friend. It's different."

"Sometimes I wonder how your brain works," Liara replied writing down whatever professor Samara was saying.

Kaidan sighed, looking back to Shepard's way. He was whispering something to Jacob, his cheeks flushed from containing his laugh. He looked beautiful.

"Mr. Alenko," professor Samara said and Kaidan died a little bit at the same time all his classmates turned back to look at him. He heard Liara giggling and cursed her because it was only his damn luck what made professor Samara look at him when he was distracted.

"Yes?" He said feeling Shepard's gaze... And the rest of the stares from the rest of the people.

"You mind telling the class what I just said?" He heard Liara mumbling something but couldn't understand anything but the word 'work'. When he didn't answer, she continued, "I said you'll be working in pairs, according to your name, and I said name, not last name. You cannot change partners and this project is about 60% of your final grade so please, do not make me fail any of you."

After that, the class went on without a hitch and 5 minutes before the class ended, the professor started making the pairs.

"Jacob Taylor and Jacqueline Jennifer Nought," she said and everybody laughed because they all knew how much Jack hated when someone called her by her full name.

"John Shepard and Kaidan Alenko."

"Liara T'Soni and Miranda Lawson," people groaned because they were 2 of the top 3 students in the class and being together meant none of the others could take advantage of their abilities.

Liara was saying something, the professor was calling more names and giving instructions, the bell rang and people left but, for Kaidan, time stopped.

* * *

"Congratulations, dude," Jack kicked him behind the knees but Shepard only made a noise resembling a hum, "maybe now you'll finally get the guts to ask Alenko to suck your dick," she finished and he felt himself change colors.

Jacob and Miranda laughed.

He was screwed, Alenko might be one of the best students in the class but that didn't make it any easier to be with him. The good thing was that at least he was going to get a good grade but... Was it really worth it?

Shepard knew Alenko because they had Prothean History, Biotics, Gym and Piloting class together and the guy usually exceeded in all those classes but after all... like 70% of the school knew him too. Actually, their circle of friends was very well known. If someone asked him about Alenko, because yes, that happened, he always said the same stuff people knew about him, good guy, good family, smart, talented, whatever.... But for Shepard, that wasn't the whole story.

He met Kaidan when he was a little kid, barely 3 or 4-years-old. His mother was freshly moved to a different spaceship while his father stayed in the old one. There were a lot of little kids in his new home but only one of them caught his attention, that was Kaidan. He asked the other kids how Kaidan was like and, they all said the same thing, smart, fun, protective and like a big brother, even the older kids said the same thing, but Shepard still didn't dare to talk to him, even when he sounded like a wonderful person.

On his 8th birthday, his gift to himself was talking to Kaidan. He was shaking with nervousness but he pulled through it, only to have Kaidan talk back excitedly and with no rejection whatsoever. It was the best thing that ever happened to him.

Kaidan was everything he imagined and more. Yes, he was fun. Yes, he was smart. Yes, he was like a big brother, but... he had something else, something Shepard didn't know how to explain, couldn't explain.

At that time, he had no idea that Kaidan was becoming his first love.

After his father died, he had to go back to the old spaceship, that changed everything. His mother wasn't the same after that, she became bitter and angry and he was just a helpless child that could do nothing to change something. It took them 2 years for her to go something resembling back to normal and when she got reinstated to the ship, he'd changed with his mother.

Not being able to help her made him feel wrong and useless, he tried to act like everything was okay, but it didn't always work. He'd been so excited to see Kaidan again, but as soon as he saw him, he got this feeling at the back of his throat, it was sour and it made his head hurt... It was shame. He couldn't even look at Kaidan without wanting to hide.

They never talked again after that and when Kaidan left to GB he finally breathed relieved, but only for seconds because as soon as the ship took off with all the children who where on age to go, a pitch black hole opened in his heart.

A year later, he saw Kaidan again, or the person he thought was Kaidan. He'd changed so much.

What used to be curly long-ish hair was now well kept and trimmed, his round features and soft ages had become hard worked muscle with no baby fat left. It was, to Shepard, a wonder.

Easily enough, Kaidan became a source of night fantasies and dirty dreams for a 13-year-old teenager discovering his body. But even like that, he didn't dare to talk to Kaidan, though it wasn't only that... The only thing that had changed wasn't Kaidan's body.

The first time Kaidan saw him, Shepard saw something he'd never seen before in those beautiful brown eyes, it was scorn. He didn't know what hurt the most, Kaidan looking at him like that or him being the reason behind that look. They both hurt and that's how Kaidan became Alenko... but he didn't want to give up.

He'd thought of ways to get closer to Kaidan but the only thing he came up with was being friends with his friends, which actually worked wonders because too late did he realize that Garrus, his roommate and the first friend he'd made there was like in Kaidan's inner circle... But 2 years later and that had proven to be useless. He could count all the times he'd talked to Kaidan with his hands and still have fingers left.

It was by mere accident that Miranda and Jack had found out about him liking Kaidan. He was telling Garrus about it, they were in the changing rooms and Jacob heard them... When Jacob tried to talk to Shepard about it Jack heard and because she's Miranda's _something_ , a few minutes passed and Miranda already knew everything.

He didn't care, he trusted them all to say nothing and he'd been right. But what happened today had him worried. Who could say they'd keep their mouth shut if he had to be with Kaidan for the project? Not only that but they usually all ate in the same place, Kaidan's friends and his. The whole situation was a recipe for disaster.

* * *

"I can't do this, guys... I'm gonna die," Kaidan said while pacing around Wrex and Grunt's living room.

"Don't you guys have your own houses?" Screamed Grunt from the kitchen.

Most of their days were spent there. Wrex and Grunt had their own house near campus while the rest of them had to put up with the school's dorms. The house had seen countless parties and hangovers and it was like a sanctuary for them, but despite this, in weekdays and school nights only Liara, Tali, Garrus and Kaidan were allowed to be there, unless stated otherwise by Wrex, who was the oldest brother.

Liara was sitting on the floor, her legs bended and her head on the knees, she was looking at him curiously without saying anything, Garrus was in the big long couch with half his body hanging from it, while Tali was sort of laying next too him with her head on his... Turian hip. It was a weird thing that only they could manage to do. He was using his right hand to check his phone and his left hand was touching her purple hood, caressing it like long hair, while she was messing with Chatika, her drone, it was sweet. Wrex was trying to watch a biotic ball game, moving his head from side to side every time Kaidan walked in front of the tv, he gave up on telling him to stop ten minutes ago and Grunt had been in the kitchen for half an hour, making food for all of them.

None of them were paying attention to Kaidan, they'd tried to make him talk when he first got there but Liara was the one who told them about the group project. Garrus and Tali were ecstatic, Grunt decided to celebrate by cooking and Wrex said he regretted not taking that class because he didn't get to see Kaidan's face. Kaidan regretted being friends with all of them.

"I don't see the problem," Wrex said while they were eating, "you're like in the top 5 of that class and Shepard in at least the top 10"

"The problem is that I like him, Wrex!" Kaidan replied stabbing his carrot.

"You what?" Wrex feigned surprised and the rest giggled.

"He is scared," Liara said with her mouth full but covering it with a hand.

"Pussy," Garrus mocked and almost instantly Tali threw him something from her plate. She was mad as hell.

"Easy for you to say, the person you like likes you back," the all looked Grunt's way who hadn't realized what he said, not until Wrex kicked him under the table. He looked up to his brother and then to the rest,

"Ah... fuck."

Tali got up from the table so fast, her chair tipped over and then ran to the guest room they all shared when they stayed there. Garrus followed her before they could all say something.

"You're in big problems, baby pyjack," Wrex laughed.

* * *

"I did it," Garrus entered the room, closing the door hard behind him.

He was out in Wrex's house since yesterday, he slept most days there, Shepard was surprised he was there at all, it was almost midnight.

"Congratulations?"

"What? For having a girlfriend? Why thank you," Garrus smirked.

"...you, what?!"

Well that sure is a bet he lost.

* * *

_**bada$$ motherfucker$ (5 Members)** _

**Sheep** : _Garrus got a girlfriend_

 **Biotic Bitch** : _ah f uK C_

 **Miranda Lawson** : _I was sure Shepard was going to ask Kaidan first. Dammit Shepard, don't make me waste money like this._

 **Jacob T.** : _proof or didn't happen_

 **Archangel** : _**image140296 attached.**_

 **Archangel** :  _(;_

 **Biotic Bitch:** _aaaaaaAAAAAAaaHhhGHH_

 **Miranda Lawson** : _Well, congratulations!_

 **Jacob T.** : _man...amazing youre like half Krogan now_

* * *

_**Team Milfky Way (6 Members)** _

**OKAYdan** **Alenko** : _ **@Archangel @Bosh'tech** TALK!!!_

 **Liara T'Soni** : _What happened?_

 **GRUrdNoT** : _Tali and Garrus wink wonk_

 **Urdnope Wrexxx** : _that's disgusting, baby pyjack_

 **Liara T'Soni** : _By the Goddess_.

 **Archangel** : _cjosmdjwishdiwhs_

 **Bosh'tech** :  _:$_

* * *

"When are you going to ask Kaidan out?" Garrus asked.

"He doesn't like me," he replied without looking up from the assignment he was working on so he didn't see when Garrus winced.

"For someone who always pushed me to tell Tali how I feel, you sure can't take a suggestion, dude."

"It's different, it was obvious that Tali liked you back."

Garrus groaned. If only he could tell Shepard everything. It was both sad and laughable how much they liked each other but thought the other hated them. It was their fault though, Shepard's for never even trying to say at least _Hi_ to Kaidan and Kaidan's because of the stupid face he always made whenever Shepard was near.

"Bosh'tet," he said not caring to elaborate and Shepard didn't ask what he meant, or what he meant by that because after hearing Tali saying it so many times, the word had stuck even with him.

* * *

**From: Unknown Number**

hey,, its shepard from biotics... I was wondering if we could met up to talk about our project?

**From: Unknown Number**

garrus gave me your number.. sorry

**To: Unknown Number**

Its okay! And sure, we'll see what to do after lunch.

**From: Unknown Number**

great! :)

* * *

**To: Liara T'Bae**

_Screenshot 960214 attached._

**To: Liara T'Bae**

!!!!!!!!!!

**From: Liara T'Bae**

!!!!!!!!!!!

* * *

Kaidan was a fucking train wreck by the time noon rolled around. He didn't want to eat, his stomach churning uncomfortably at the same time that it played a symphony because he hadn't eaten since yesterday. Kaidan's appetite was almost the same as Grunt and Wrex. But he was too good of a student to risk his grade with "silly" crushes and that's how he got to the cafeteria despite his stomach being a douche.

Shepard was the only one at the two tables they used to have lunch. Because Grunt and him were the only third years among their group, their lunch time was half an hour earlier than the rest of fourth years.

He was moving his food around the plate, looking grim with every chew he gave. For a moment Kaidan wondered how much he'd chewed whatever was in his mouth, but then thought twice about it and realized that was creepy as fuck.

"Kaidan!" Someone called behind him and he jumped so hard his spoon flew away from the plate, but it was caught by Liara with her biotics. She laughed and so did the whole group of friends behind her.

They sat on the tables, taking all the space of it. Kaidan was sitting in one table while Shepard was in the other. Lunch was the same as any other day. The only reason they were friends with Shepard's friends was because they had Kasumi, Ashley and Garrus as friends in common. It was a weird thing to see Miranda talking to Tali without Garrus in between, or Grunt and Jacob without Kasumi or Ashley.

Halfway lunch break, Jack and Miranda left saying they had something to do... Jacob left a little after them. Tali and Garrus exchanged looks with Liara and without saying anything left. Kasumi and Ashley only stayed a bit more before taking Grunt and Wrex with them, saying something about a project they had, despite Grunt being a third year and Wrex sharing zero classes with Ashley and Kasumi.

"So..." Shepard said moving to Kaidan's table to be in front of him. Kaidan wasn't done eating.

"Have you thought what to do for the project?" Kaidan asked, still eating, watching his food and nothing else.

"Ah... Not really, I was hoping you had some ideas because I'm pretty much clueless, sorry."

* * *

Kaidan smiled and looked up. And Shepard choked up watching him.

"It's okay," he said and Shepard couldn't help but smile too. Because holy shit, Kaidan was beautiful.

"You know," Shepard started saying, Kaidan looked up again, chewing his food slowly, he made this little noise with his throat to let Shepard know he was listening, "I think we've met before."

Now it was time for Kaidan to choke, he started coughing uncontrollably while hitting his chest with his right hand and reaching for his drink with the other. Shepard panicked not knowing what to do and on his haste to help Kaidan, he got up from the bench too fast and dropped what was left of his drink all over Kaidan's pants.

None of them moved for a while. Kaidan looking at his pants and Shepard looking at him frozen. He thought about apologizing but no words came out of his mouth.

* * *

"I sort of expected that," Garrus sighed.

They were all hiding behind a wall, looking at Shepard and Kaidan interact, even Miranda and Jack. Zaeed and Joker had approached them after watching the bunch hiding. What Kaidan thought was a bet with Garrus' friends was actually an ongoing game between all of them, with half thinking Kaidan was going to confess and the other rooting for Shepard. The odds were pretty even. Because both of them were too stupid to confess.

* * *

"God, I'm so sorry," he finally apologized this time getting up more carefully to wipe Kaidan's pants.

"Wait, no!" Kaidan managed to say when Shepard was just about to straight up clean his pants with the napkins under his plate. "That's not a good idea..."

Shepard seemed confused, not realizing that he almost palmed Kaidan's dick through his jeans, but when he did, he could physically feel his face all the way up his ears and down his neck, getting warm.

Kaidan reached to grab the napkins Shepard had in his hands and saw how red Shepard was. He laughed, a raspy, low sound that made Shepard get even warmer.

"I'll head back to my dorm, you have my number so... Text me lat--"

"Wait!" Shepard practically yelled and Kaidan looked at him curiously,

"I'll go with you."

"To my dorm?"

"Is that okay?"

_Please say yes, please say yes, please say yes,pleasesayyes_

"Sure... but why?" Kaidan asked.

"It's my fault you have to go change and besides we can talk about our project on the way there."  
Kaidan smiled.  
\--  
**From: Kaidan <3**

He L P

**To: Kaidan <3**

What happened?

**From: Kaidan <3**

Long story short, I'm going back to the dorm with Shepard

**To: Kaidan <3**

Oh?

**From: Kaidan <3**

Please go back to the dorm

**From: Kaidan <3**

Liara???

**From: Kaidan <3**

I know you're reading this!!!

**From: Kaidan <3**

!?!?!?!?!??!?!????!??

**To: Kaidan <3**

Going through a tunnel. Losing service.

**From: Kaidan <3**

We're texting!!!!!

* * *

"You had something else to do?" Shepard asked him as they were walking to his dorm.

"No..." He said sending one last message, "I was asking Liara if she was there."

"Oh," Shepard replied simply, but then, "is she your... girlfriend?"

"Jesus no!" He stopped walking. "Do people really think that?"

Shepard laughed. It started with a few giggles that eventually transformed into a full on manic laugh. His face was going red like yesterday when Kaidan saw him containing his laugh. He had no idea why Shepard was laughing so much about his question but instead of asking, he started laughing too.

* * *

_**Team Milfky Way (6 Members)** _

**Archangel** : _**image140297 attached.**_

 **Liara T'Soni** : _Are those Kaidan and Shepard laughing?_

 **GRUrdNoT** : _;))))))_

 **Urdnope Wrexxx** : _HOLY SHIITTTT_

 **Archangel** : _**@GRUrNoT** ((((((((((((;_

 **Bosh'tech** : _Chatika approves._

 **Liara T'Soni** : _How did you even get that?_

 **Archangel: _@Liara T'Soni_** : _(;_

* * *

**_bada$$ motherfucker$ (5 Members)_ **

**Archangel: _image140297 attached._**

**Archangel** : _so........................_

 **Biotic Bitch** : _BIIITCCCHHHHHH_

 **Miranda Lawson** : _Heh!_

 **Jacob T.** : _Y'ALL THAT LOOKS SO GAAAYY_

* * *

"I don't know, I'd say you do look like a couple because all the time you spend together but you're with Wrex a lot too, so..." Shepard trailed off.

"Maybe I'm dating Wrex," he smiled.

"Are you?"

Kaidan smiled again.

Part of him was conscious of the situation right now and the other part had no idea what the fuck he was doing.

When Shepard asked him if he could go to his dorm with him, every single part of his body screamed no, but he ended up saying something completely different. It was like watching everything unfold before his eyes but he wasn't controlling what his body was doing. It was exhilarating and scary.

Before they could noticed, there were only a few stairs left to get to his room. He opened the door giving it a little kick after turning the key and entered his room with Shepard in tow.

"You can sit in Liara's bed, mine is a mess."

* * *

Kaidan's side of the room was what Shepard expected. Books littered the desk, floor and bed. Some of them had colorful bookmarks and post-its, others were opened and some of them closed. The walls had different posters. They were dorky and screamed Kaidan all over it.

His bed was unmade, the sheets were blue and through the books, he could see the Alliance symbol. Shepard had the same ones.

His closet was almost as bad as Shepard's. The doors were wide open because of the amount of clothes in it and he even had shirts hanging from the corners of the doors. That's were Kaidan was.

He was trying to get a pair of jeans out without bringing the rest of the clothes with it, but he was barely making it. At some point a book at the top of the clothes almost fell on his head and when he grabbed it to avoid getting hit by it, his shirt went up to half his back. He had back dimples. Shepard died a little.

"You need help?" He asked Kaidan and almost in slow motion he saw him turn back to him and get a pleasant pink color on his cheeks. Shepard died a little bit more.

"It's okay," Kaidan finally replied, with a pair of black jeans in his hands, "wait here, I'll be right back!

* * *

**_bada$$ motherfucker$ (5 Members)_ **

**Sheep** : _HOW THE FlYING FUCL DJD YOU GET TBAT????_

 **Biotic Bitch** : _did you suck his 8=====D?_

 **Miranda Lawson** : _Disgusting._

 **Jacob T.** : _ew??????_

 **Biotic Bitch** : _DID YOU?????_

 **Sheep** : _...no, I spilled my drink on his pants_

 **Miranda Lawson** : _Nice!_

 **Sheep** : _BY ACCIDRNT_

 **Sheep** : _ACCIDRNT**_

 **Sheep** : _ACCIDENT****_

 **Jacob T**.: _less nice_

 **Biotic Bitch** : _sure;)_

* * *

Was he a bad person for wearing those jeans? Yes, probably. But he was feeling bold, for once in his life. This was his natural habit he had all the right to be bold. So who cared, he was going to wear the damn jeans, even if they made him feel like he was naked, and accentuated every single curve of his lower body. Though, for some reason, after he got out of the bathroom, he was genuinely surprised when he saw Shepard stare at him through the mirror of the door.

"You... You wanna work here?" Shepard asked stumbling on his words.

"If that's okay then yes... Liara said she won't be sleeping here," was that too much?

"Oh."

"Oh shit, no! I didn't mean anything by that." He did.

"It's okay... Sorry," Shepard said and Kaidan thought he heard him sigh a little.

They started working on their project right away, Kaidan's hands were clamy and sweaty, his pen slipping every now and then and he could barely type. He had to fight the urge to look up to where Shepard was, sitting near the headboard of the bed, while he was at the end of it.

Kaidan always complained that his bed wasn't big enough, if he moved the wrong way, his feet would dangle from the end of it or his arm ended up touching the floor, but today.... Today his bed was abysmally big. He hated it.

"About what you said earlier..." Kaidan trailed off and Shepard hummed, writing down something on his laptop and then looking at him, curiously. "That you've met me before," Kaidan clarified.

"Ah..." Shepard said a little embarrassed, scratching his nape, he was looking anywhere but Kaidan.

"You remember me?" Kaidan asked.

"I do," he finally looked at him, his eyes determined to dare Kaidan say something else. His flight or fight instinct lighting up like a Christmas tree. It scared Kaidan a little, it also made him want to kiss Shepard stupid. "And you remember me too," he finished. Kaidan smiled.

He didn't say anything else, not for a while... Maybe he was still trying to process the fact that after all those years, Shepard remembered him. He had no idea what he remembered of Kaidan but just knowing that he did, was okay.

For over an hour, they continued working on the project, each adding bits and pieces to it, it was a shared document and Kaidan could see Shepard writing. It was amazing. From his perspective, Shepard just kept on writing and Kaidan wondered if he was really just getting everything out of his head or with reference. That didn't make it less mesmerizing.

"You know," Shepard said, startling Kaidan and making him jump a little. "I used to like you," Shepard confessed, blushing and Kaidan had to contain a sigh he didn't know be was holding, instead he laughed.

"You don't believe me?" Shepard asked.

"Its not that," he replied in between giggles, trying not to dwell too much on the 'used to', though part of him couldn't believe it. "I used to like you, too," _I still do_ , he thought, "I still do," he said out loud this time.

There wad a thump outside the room and Shepard's face lit up again, this time with a smile that made Kaidan's heart stutter.

"Me too," Shepard whispered, closing his laptop and placing it on Kaidan's night table.

* * *

He got closer to Kaidan, moving to his side supporting himself on his knees and hands. The bed creaked under the extra weight but he couldn't care less.

His blue eyes were set on Kaidan's brown ones. He'd never noticed how clear they were, or the moles Kaidan had above his right eyebrow, or the scar on his lip. It was like rediscovering the enigma that was Kaidan Alenko. Too late did he notice that he could see all these things because of close they were.

He closed Kaidan's laptop too and removed it from his lap to put in on top of the bed. Kaidan didn't say anything, opting for following the motion with his eyes and then looking back to Shepard again.

"I wanna kiss you," he said.

"You better," Kaidan smiled.

Fifteen years old... That's how old he was. In all those years, he'd lost count of how many humans and aliens he'd kissed, how many faces his hand touched, how many times he'd imagine them all being Kaidan and... Nothing prepared him for the real deal.

Kaidan was so gentle and his lips were soft. Shepard could still taste the iced tea Kaidan had with lunch, or maybe his kisses were that sweet naturally. He didn't know, he couldn't think. It felt like his brain was melting, soon he'd feel it coming out of his ears and nos-

"Why are you laughing?" Kaidan asked him with a smile.

"Brain melting," he replied dopily.

Kaidan laughed, grabbing Shepard's face, and bringing him closer for a second and deeper kiss.

His brain was definitely melting.

* * *

**motherfuckers better get tog...( 12 Members)**

**Archangel** : _FUCKING CALLED IT, PAY UP LOSERS_

 **Liara T'Soni** : _:)_

 **Urdnope Wrexxx** : _THATS MY BOOOY_

 **GRUrNoT** : _I thought I was your boy_

 **Urdnope Wrexxx** : _you'rE me baby pyjack_

 **Miranda Lawson** : _Okay, but how do we know Kaidan confessed first?_

 **Bosh'tech** : _Liara and I heard them!! I accidentally hit my head on the door!!!_

 **Archangel** : _don't be a sore loser, lawson_

 **Jacob T.** : _okay but how??? y'all that's suspicious as hell_

 **Biotic Bitch** : _hOW DID iY Jhapoen????_

 **Liara T'Soni** : **_Voice Message (2:47)_**

 **Big Gun Ash** : _ARE YOU FUCKKNF SERIOUS????_

 **GO TO** : _that's so lameeeee cjshmsksbakxbdk_

**_Massani Z._ left the group.**

**_Joker_ added _Massani Z._ to the group, say hi.**

**Joker** : _PAY, MASSANI._

 **Massani** : _Fuck._

**Author's Note:**

> tag yourself I'm jacob


End file.
